Cryogenic trench/trough apparatus and method

Abstract

A method of installing a trench for containing a cryogenic spill, including the step of constructing multiple precast concrete sections at a first location, each section preferably having a bottom wall and spaced apart side walls connected to and extending up from the bottom wall. Each section preferably has end portions that enable connection to another said concrete section. The method includes (at the first location) preparing multiple panels of polymeric concrete material by filling one or more molds with a slurry or liquid polymeric concrete material and after time allowing the material to cure and harden. The mold can have a cavity that is lined with a release material. At the first location, one or more of the panels can be adhered to the bottom wall and side walls of each concrete section preferably using an adhesive. After adhering of the panels to the concrete sections, the concrete sections can be transported from the first location to a second location that is remote from the first location. At the second location, the concrete sections are connected together using connections that preferably join one end portion of a concrete section to and end portion of another concrete section. An epoxy grout is preferably field applied to the connections at the second location.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of installing a trench for containing a cryogenic spill, comprising the steps of:
 a) constructing multiple precast concrete sections, each section having a bottom wall and spaced apart side walls connected to and extending up from said bottom wall; 
 b) wherein in step “a” each section has end portions that enable connection to the end portion or portions of one or more other said concrete section or sections; 
 c) providing multiple panels of cryogenic insulating material; 
 d) adhering one or more of said panels of step “c” to the bottom wall and side walls of each said concrete section; 
 e) connecting the concrete sections together using connections of one end portion to connect with another end portion; 
 f) applying an epoxy grout to the connections of step “e”; and 
 g) wherein the connections of steps “e” and “f” include a bellow structure. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  wherein in step “c” each panel has an upper surface and a lower surface and further comprising applying an adhesive in step “d” to the upper surface. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1  wherein each panel is between about one half and three inches thick. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1  wherein each panel has a generally rectangular periphery. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the side walls has a side wall height and wherein in step “e” the panels extend vertically only part of said side wall height. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1  wherein the precast concrete sections have openings through the bottom wall at one or both of said end portions. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1  wherein the spacing is between about ½ and 3 inches. 
     
     
       8. A method of installing a trench for containing a cryogenic spill, comprising the steps of:
 a) constructing multiple precast concrete sections, each section having a bottom wall and spaced apart side walls connected to and extending up from said bottom wall; 
 b) wherein in step “a” each section has end portions that enable connection to one or more other said concrete section or sections; 
 c) providing multiple panels of cryogenic insulating material; 
 d) adhering one or more of said panels of step “c” to the bottom wall and side walls of each said concrete section; 
 e) connecting the concrete sections together using connections of one end portion to one or more of other said end portion or portions; 
 f) applying an epoxy grout to the connections of step “e”; 
 g) wherein in step “f” the connection includes spacing the said end portions apart to form a gap and filling the gap with a seal; and 
 h) wherein in step “g” the seal includes a bellow structure. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8  wherein in step “c” each panel has an upper surface and a lower surface and further comprising applying an adhesive in step “d” to the upper surface. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 8  wherein each panel is between about one half and three inches thick. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 8  wherein at least one of the side walls has a side wall height and wherein in step “d” the panels extend vertically only part of said side wall height. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 8  wherein the precast concrete sections have openings through the bottom wall at one or both of said end portions. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12  wherein anchor bolts extend through the openings into a foundation. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13  wherein the foundation is concrete. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 8  wherein the seal includes a butyl rubber elastomer. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the seal includes an engineering cloth. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16 , wherein the seal includes one or more layers of the butyl rubber elastomer and the engineering cloth. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 8  wherein the connection of the panels and the seal create continuous cryogenic material throughout the connected concrete sections. 
     
     
       19. A method of installing a trench for containing a cryogenic spill, comprising the steps of:
 a) construction of multiple precast concrete sections, each section having a bottom wall and spaced apart side walls connected to and extending up from said bottom wall; 
 b) wherein in step “a” each section has end portions that enable connection to one or more other said concrete sections; 
 c) providing multiple panels of cryogenic insulating material; 
 d) adhering one or more of said panels of step “c” to the bottom wall and side walls of each said concrete section; 
 e) connecting the concrete sections together using connections of one end portion to connect with one or more other end portions; 
 f) applying a non-sag filler to the connections of step “e”; and 
 g) wherein the connections include an engineering cloth layered with said filler. 
 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 19  wherein the non-sag filler includes a butyl rubber elastomer. 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 20 , wherein the non-sag filler includes an engineering cloth. 
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 21 , wherein the non-sag filler includes one or more layers of the butyl rubber elastomer and the engineering cloth. 
     
     
       23. The method of  claim 19 , wherein the connection of the panels and the non-sag filler create continuous cryogenic material throughout the connected concrete sections. 
     
     
       24. A method of installing a trench for containing a cryogenic spill, comprising the steps of:
 a) constructing multiple precast concrete sections, each section having a bottom wall and spaced apart side walls connected to and extending up from said bottom wall; 
 b) wherein in step “a” each section has end portions that enable connection to another said concrete section; 
 c) providing multiple panels of cryogenic insulating material; 
 d) adhering one or more of said panels of step “c” to the bottom wall and side walls of each said concrete section; 
 f) connecting the concrete sections together using connections of one end portion to connect with one or more other end portions; 
 g) wherein in step “f” the connection includes spacing the said end portions apart to form a gap and filling the gap with a seal; 
 h) wherein the seal includes a butyl rubber elastomer; and 
 i) wherein the seal includes an engineering cloth. 
 
     
     
       25. The method of  claim 24 , wherein the seal includes one or more layers of the butyl rubber elastomer and the engineering cloth. 
     
     
       26. The method of  claim 24 , wherein the connection of the panels and the seal create continuous cryogenic material throughout the connected concrete sections.